Cigarette-packing machine.



E. D. SMITH L B. E. TEALE.

CIGARETTE PACKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED Amm, 1912.

Eatented Dec. 29, 1914;.

hmmm;

14 SHEETS-SHEET l.

En w@ 99N @WSA @w Q @am Vw@ www E. D. SMITH & B. E. TEALE. GIGARETTB PACKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.17,1912. L l @Ql Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

14 SHEETS-SHEET 24u E. D. SMITH Sz B. E. TEALE. CIGARETTE PACKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR.17, '1912.

L l 22,6%l Patented Deo. 29, 1914.

14 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

E. D. SMITH d; B. E. TEALE.

CIGARETTE PACKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.17, 1912.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

14SHEETS-SHBET4 lllillrl E. D. SMITH da B. E. TEALE.

CIGARETTE PACKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.17.1-J12.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

l f r MK Ss m.

WVM/nemo:

7km/Lf E. D. SMITH L B. E. TEALE.

CIGARETTE PACKING MACHINE,

APPLICATION FILED APR.17, 1912.

Patented Dee. 29, 1914 14 SHEETS-*SHEET 6.

E. D. SMITH L B. E. TEALE.

4Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

14 SHEETSASHEET 7.

E. D. SMITH & B. E. TEALE.

CIGARETTE PACKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR.17,1912.

1 l 22,6%., Patented Deo. 29, 1914.

14 SHEETS--SHEET 8.

E. D. SMITH & B. E.`TEALE.

CIGARETTE PACKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 17, 1912.

E. D. SMITH & B. E. TEALE. CIGARETTE PACKING MACHINE.

APPLI'CATION FILED APR.17,1912.

1,122,641 Patented Deo. 29, 1914.

14 SHEETS SHEET l0,

E. D. SMITH & B. E. TEALB. CIGARETTE PACKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Amm?, 1912.

l, 2234i., Patend Dec. 29, 1914.

14 SHEETS-SHEET 1l.

M! MM@ E. D. SMITH L B. E. TEALE.

CIGARETTE PACKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.17,1912.

, l 22,641. Patented Dee. 29, 1914.

14 SHEETS-SHEET 12.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

14 SHEETS-SHEET13- E. D. SMITH E B. E. TEALB. CIGARETTE PACKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR.17, 1912.

E. D. SMITH & B. E. TEALE. CIGARETTE PACKING MACHINE.

APLPLIGATION FILED APRA?, 1912. 1,122,641'.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

14 SHEETS-SHEET 14.

narra srarns pagana onirica.

ELBERON D. SMITH AND BENJAMIN TELE, OF BROOKLYN', NEW YOK, ASSIGNORS 'I0 AMERICAN TOBACCO COMPANY, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.,' il CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

meneame-PACKING MACHINE'.

Meehan specification of tette's raient. Pmmmd DW, 25a, 3914i,

appiicanon niet april r?, ma semi iin'. saines.

The present invention relates to machinesv for packing cigarettes, and is designed more particularly for packing oval cigarettes, its obect being to provide mechanical means for taking oval cigarettes from the hopper where the bulk to be packed is stored; assembling such cigarettes in proper groups (for example in groups of ten) g delivering such groups to the slide or wrapper portion of the box in which the cigarettes are to be packed; and finally inserting such packed slide with its flaps properly intolded into the shell of the package, which is then delivered in condition for marketing, subject, of course, to the attachment of suc i revenue stamps as may under the law be required. This, broadly considered, is the purpose of our invention, and its predominating purpose is to provide such mechanisms as that l oval cigarettes may be placed in the box or Slo container in an inclined position, that is with the major axis of each cigarette 1nclined to the horizontal, it being desirable,-

v for economy'of space in packing, that cigarettes of oval form be laid withtheir major axes angled or' inclined to the horizontal rather than with this axis parallel or vertical to the horizontahwhich in the one case increases the width of the box, and in the other case increases the depth beyond a desirable degree.

ln order that the invention may be clear to Ithose skilled in the art, we have shownv in the drawings one embodiment of our i114 vention, but as these drawings are merely illustrative and not restrictive, we do not limit ourselves to the exact details or particular mechanical expedients therein shown, for obviously they' may be` varied widely without departing from. the inventive idea involved in the construction which we have devised.

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a plan View of the machine embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a package of cigarettes assembled by our machine, the slide and shell being separated, for clearness of illustration, with the flaps of the slide opened to s how the interior disposition of the cigarettes. Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1, looking from the right hand, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view of the machine in elevation looking from the front of the machine, that is in thedirection of the arrow, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a plan View, on a somewhat larger scale, of the front portion of the machine, being an enlarged detail of the main table generally illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the rear portion of the niachine, being an enlarged -view 'of the rear portion of the main table generally illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the machine on substantially line 7 7 of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the machine on substantially the line 8 8 of Fig. 1. Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail'ot so much of the machine as will illustrate the feed mechanism for the slide strip and slide folder, the shell towerbeing shown in its proper relation to the other parts of the machine. Figs. 10, 11 and 12 are detail views of the slide strip cutter, the slide Jfolding head and the slide strip feed. Figs. 13, 14 and 15 inclnsive'are sectional views of the operating mechanism for the feeding racks which bring the cigarettes from the hopper to the other mechanisms. Figs. 16, 16El and 17 are detail views in section of the group handling plungerfor delivering an assembled and angled group of cigarettes. Fig. 18 is a detail of the adjustable sprocket for transniitting motion tothe carrier racks. Fig. 19 is' a detail plan view of one of the carrier chains and angling racks which-take the cigarettes from the hopper and deliver them in properly angled position to the other mechanisms. Fig. 20 is a detail side elevation of the carrying and assembling lmechanism shown in Fig. 19. Fig. 21 is a assembled groupof cigarettes to the slide loading mechanism. Figs'. 2,6, 27 and 28 are sectional views to show the operation of legecting from the shell tower a slide receiving shell, and for opening the same. Fig. 29 is a detail view in section to show the mechanisms for' infolding the flaps of a. 'packed slide, and inserting said slide and its contents in a shell. Fig. 30 is a perspectivev view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 29 to show the slide and shell handling and assembling mechanisms. Fig. 31 is a perspective view of the shell 'opening means,

and the delivery ways for the loaded shell. Fig. 32 is a detail perspective view-of the 'adjustable outlet gatefor the shell tower. Fig.` 33 is a detail, somewhat in diagram, to showA substantially the pathA ofmovement vof the cigarette as it moves from the hopper' to vthe carrier chain. Fig. 34 -is a detail, somewhat in diagram, 'to show substantially theshown in thepresent disclosure comprising side frames A andthe bed or table B carried by these side frames, and which assembled, as shown, forms the main supporting frame for the operating mechanisms and driving instrumentalities. Mounted in the side frames Ain suitable bearings is the main drive shaft C having any Asuitable drive pulley, ,as D, loosely mounted thereon and adapted to be coupled to the shaft C to drive it and `the several mechanisms operated by said drive shaft C through a suitable clutch mechanism E, which clutch may bc thrown in and out by any suitable shipper mechanisms, as lever a, operating rod a', and shipper handles a2, all conveniently arranged and interconnected so that the operator may throw the poweron and off from any suitable point in the machine, the present embodiment showing three 'shipper levers a2, a3, and a4, as best shown inv Figfl.

HoppwI and hopper feed-This being the general machine structure-we will now take up the cigarette handlingA mechanisms, and

first the hopper and hopper feed bv which i;

the. cigarettes are brought from the bulk singly and in rapid succession ready for angling or inclining; assembling in groupss: in such inclined position; packingin such groups into the slides; and finally inserting- At `one side of-the main:y

into the shells. table, the left in Fig. l, are thehoppers F,

and since these hoppers and their associated mechanisms are in duplicate, the parts being identical, description of one will suffice.

' The hopper F is of any suitable or desired shape, preferably being an open topped box with a side door f for convenience in filling, and provided with an inclined bottom, as shown in Figs. 4, 20 and 22, this inclined bottom sloping to an opening at the deliv-l ery end of the hopper beneath which lies a' feed belt 7" (Fig. 20) mounted in an inclined position on the shafts f2, f3, the shaft f2 being carried by bearing blocks adjust-I ably mounted in the laterally extended,

fra-mes f* of the machine, which shaft f3 is,

through the Geneva mechanism f5, given an intermittent rotation so as to periodically drive the belt f" and bring the cigarettes forward from the hopper, the cigarettes naturally falling from the hopper crosswise of the belt, as best shown in Fig. 20 of the drawings.

In order to insure a proper feeding of the cigarettes from the hopper and to prevent bridging and cessation of feed, we preferably provide the hopper with agitators, which in the present instance comprise agitator blades 7', 7", the blade f being pivoted at its top and swinging freely within the hopper against4 the mass of cigarettes, while the blade' f7 is pivoted adjacent the first ,named agitator f", and provided with an adjustable screw f8 so positioned as to impart swinging movement of the agitator blade f7 to the bladef6.4 The blade 7" is given a L regular swinging movement through the medium of the rock shaft i9, which, as shown in Fig. 1,takes care of the duplicate agitator blades, said rock shaft having the knockerarm fw which is periodically7 struck by a pin f carried by the shaft f, which in turn is driven from the sprocket shaft fla through the medium of the gear fm' and pinion f15, (see Figs. 1 and 19). From this it will be seen that regular agitating movements are given theblades f6, f7,lthe blade f sweeping the bulk` of cigarettes back to keep ,the mass active, and in proper feeding i condition, while the blade f7 lays the' cigarettes in, uniform line of single thickness upon the feeding belt f', the cigarettes ncrmally taking the position. shown in Fig. 20

with their long axes parallel to the belt.

The clgarettes coming down on the carrier belt.I as best shown in Figs. 19, 20 and 22, are llftcd singly and in succession from vthat belt by means of shifting racks arranged in duplicate on each side of the belt,

-vand of such length as to lap the forward or `delivery end of the belt, as shown in Fig. 22. l .These shifting racks comprisetwo stationlary members f5", and two 'movablev members kfw, the stationary racks having, in the present embodiment, A'two grooves, as shown,

' the plate ,im

niaaeai while the shifting racks f1 have three grooves, The stationary racks )E are secarry the shifting racks f1 are given a vertical movement periodically so that the racks f1 ywill rise and fall relative to the fixed racks f5". and falling movement the shifting racks il? are given vforward and backward motion through the lever )c25 carried by the shaft f2s, said lever 7E25 being operated by the cam f2? (see Fig. 20) said lever 725 being connected by link f2s with the plate f1", so that with its supported racks ,im will be given a backward and forward movement on the slide fm, this resulting in a four motion feed of the shifting racks fle.

As stated, the xed racks f5 and the shifting racks fle have grooves therein, there being one moregroove in the,` shifting racks than in the fixed racks, so that the shifting racks fm will pick ed a cigarette, as they make their lift and forward movement, from the feeding belt f', and deposit the cigarette in the first groove or notch of the yfixed racks f5 as they make their downward and rearward movement, the grooves or notches being so correlated, and the movements of the shifting racks being so timed as to cause the notches to register at the extremes of the feed movement ofthe shifting racks. This results in the picking off of the cigarettes singly and successively from the feed belt and stepping them forward along the stationary racks one at a time, and in properly separated condition. Preferably,

Y in order` to preserve the position of the cigarettes in the racks we provide a grooved apron j between the shifting racks l, which not only insures the cigarettes being fed forward, maintaining their proper position, but guards against their falling through between the racks if, as they come from the belt, they are skewed or misplaced.

As the shifting racks fle pick the cigarettes from the last notch or groove in the fixed racks f5 they deposit them on the notched `links of the carrier chains fao, (see Figs. 20, 21 and 22), which carrier chains l are mounted on suitable sprocket wheels carried by the supporting shafts mounted in the machine frame, the sprocket wheel shaft f being driven by gear 732 actuated in turn .from a pinion f3? on a shaft f3* driven by a ln addition to this risingl sprocket chain fs, which sprocket chain receives its motion from a sprocket f3@ on the cam shaft f, heretofore referred to, this sprocket f3@ being adjustable relative to its shaft so as to permit the proper timing of the carrier chain, the travel of which must of course be so adjusted as to insure a notched or grooved link being in proper position to receive a cigarette each time the shifting racks il step forward and make delivery.

'the carrier lchains ,fw may be of any suitable length, it being desirable that they be of such length as that the attendant will have ample time to position the cigarettes as they pass along, with the monogram or trade mark facing upwardly and side by side, as well as to remove any imperfect cigarettes or any excess number before the cigarettes pass to the angling and packing mechanisms, it being our purpose to provide'adjacent the point where the attendant sits, and convenient to the carrier chains, a box or cup f3? containing a'suificient` number ofl cigarettes to supply the carrier chain in event of there Ibeing any skipping, or in event of iinperfect cigarettes,

This constitutes the hopper and feed mechanism, and next in order is the angling mechanism which brings the cigarettes into Y proper inclined position ready for grouping.

Mechanism for angling or z'ncz'm'ng the czfgarettes-At the delivery end of the carrier chains f3 are arranged a series of angling racks somewhat similar to the shifting racks Just described, and com rising fixed racks g and shifting racks g, these racks being what we term coarse toothed racks as distinguished from the liner toothed grouping'racks which will-presently be described. The shifting racks g have .a four motion feed, being mounted, as best shown in Fig. 22, on a sliding plate g2 which has a to and fro traverse on a bed g3, (see Fig. 20) said plate g2 being linked to a lever g4 which is connected with a cam, lever g5 operated from a cam on the cam shaft 7, this cam being so timed as to give a relatively long stroke to the shifting rack g.'

l The vertical movements of the shifting racks gI are secured through the medium of a rising and falling slide g"carried by a ift@ bracket 97 on the machine frame and conv f nected by a link g8 with a cam lever g which has a cam roll 'engaging a groove in a cam disk Q10 on the sh'aft f2", as best shown in Fig. 20, the said'slide g carrying the plate g3 which supports the slide g2 heretofore referred to.

The shifting racks 0 embrace the carrier chains, as shown in Fig. 22. so as to lift the cigarettes olf the notched links. singly and in succession, and deposit them in the notches of the fixed racks g. lt will be observed .thatas the cigarettes come forward notches which preferably coincide in cons i f on the carrier;v chain they lie :with their major axes parallel to the lineof" travel of.v the carrier chain,fand in order` togive the proper' inclination to these "cigarettes and bring them to the angle atvvhich they are to be grouped and inserted 'in the slides and shell of the'packages, We change the contour` of the notches progressively 'from v`the front. end of the stationary racks g and shiftingracks g', as clearly' shown inFigs. 20 and 22, so that a cigarette picked 0E the carrier chain by the first notch of the* shifting racks g in horizontal position `(that is with its major axisparallel to its line of movement) will be gradually 'tilted as it steps along the' racks, owing to the gradual change incontour of the successive. fnotches until Yit is finally lbrought tothe inclined position shown in Fig. 2 0, in which it. will be observed that. the last .cigarette on the vsta- .tionary racksv stands `at an inclination of about 48o4 to the hrizontalr- .Of course the degree of inclinationisy entirely immaterial, 'for the notches may be so shaped as to give..

any desired'angle. This anglingr or inclining of the cigarettes is accomplished both by the notches in the iiXed racks g and the movable racks g', for the notches in the shifting racksare not identicaF'in contour With the notches in the stationary racks with which .they coperate, and the cigarettes as they are liftedV by the shifting racks oi of the stay tionary racksV Will settleinto the notches of the shifting racks at an angle of greater degree, andthem as they are stepped forward and deposited` in the next notch of the sta-- tionary racks, such notchesbeing ata greater angle, give a further inclination, so that the angling of the cigarette and the bringing of it to the proper, degree of inclination may be accomplished in half the time that Would be necessary if We depended on one set, eitherA of stationary or shifting racks, to angle ,the cigarette. i `v Grouping mechanism-lt will be observed that the cigarettes on the inclining racks just described are in separated condition; thatI is, they do not lie closely adjacent each other, and in order that they may be brought into a compact group of the` desired number We provide grouping racks,

thesefgroup'ing racks being 1n duplicate on each side 'of the machine, and comprising/ the fiXed racks k which, in the present embodiment, are formed in a continuation of the plate in which the racks g are formed, and shifting racks h arranged in the same general manner as the anglingracks hereto-I fore described. These grouping racks 71, and h', are provided with closely adjacent tour to the last notch in the angling racks g',

the requisite number of cigarettes has'been supplied, each cigarette of the group being maintained in that inclined position to i which .it Was brought by the action of the angling racks. v f

The shifting grouping racks t have a four motion movement similar to the angling racks just described, except that it is a shorter stroke, and this fourmotion movement is'accomplished in very much the same manner as the fourmotion movement of the angling racks', the grouping racksh being carried by va slide h2 which is mounted on the vertical slide g heretofore referred to, so that so far as the vertical movements of the grouping racks are concerned they are secured in the same manner as the vertical movement of the angling racks. The slide 71,2 is linked to a lever h3 pivoted on the machine frame, Which in turn is connected by a suitable rod with a cam lever it* actuated by a groove in the cam disk g1 on the shaft f, as best'shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 20.

In order to properly support the cigarettes in the grouping racks We preferably provide a supporting plate h5 mounted on any suitable part of themachine so that it Will stand in fixed position between the shifting racks h', as shownin Figs. 20,22' and in the diagrammatic view Fig. 34. While this support h5 maybe a flat plate, as

-shown in these vieivs,vve preferably groove it, as shown in Fig. 22, to correspond with the contour of the notches in the racks in order that there may be no danger of the' cigarettes rolling or shifting .from the inclined position to which they have been brought. rlhe cigarettes thus grouped in bunches of ten, or such number as the machine may be designed to handle, are ready to, be delivered to the group transfer mechanism, or what term group shifting devices Group shifting erica-JT he. group shifti'ng devices are in duplicate, but their operation is alternate, that is, after the group shifting mechanism on one side has transgrouping. racks it remains in that position until, in the operation ofthe machine, the cigarettes grouped by the mechanism on either` side of the machine is ready to be shifted, whereupon the'fgrou'p shifting fingers Whichi have advancedtheir group are retracted to their original position.

The group, shifting devices and their operating mechanism are best shown in Figs. 1, 3. 7, 23 and 25,;the'general relation of erred, its group of cigarettes from tlieff' amaca-i these group shifting devices being diagrammatically shown in Fig. 34.

Each group shifter comprises a slide block mounted on a fixed slide supporting bar the slide blocks being connected by suitable connecting rods with the actuating levers 2 mounted on a shaft 3 on the machine frame, and having each a cam roll which engage cam grooves on opposite sides of the cam disk 4- mounted on the shaft 5, and driven through the medium of gears 6, shaft 1, gears 8, and shaft 9, which shaft gears back to the main drive shaft C in any suitable manner, for example as shown in Fig. 6. t

Each of the slides has pivoted thereto a swinging frame 10 carrying at its lower end a series of cigarette engaging and shifting fingers 11 which are slightly separated in order that they may enter the notches in the grouping racks and beds heretofore described. the said frame 1 being held against movement in one direction by means of the stop lever 1.2 which bears against an adjustable 'stop screw 13 on theslide, as shown/in Fig. 5. The said fingers are so disposed relative to the grouping racks that as the slide moves forward ,to the full line position shown in Fig. 23, each of the ingers 11 will engage a cigarette lying in the grouping racks, and the entire group or block of cigarettes will be shifted from the racks to-what is known as the' group transfer mechanism, which will be-presently described. The group will be transferred without disturbing its arrangement, the movement being lengthwise through the grooves and notches of the grouping racks and group supporting bed, and' this group with each cigarette properly inclined deposited on the transfer bed ready to go forward to the slide. As stated the movements of these slides are so timed as that one, after having delivered its group of cigarettes to the transfer mechanism. will have a dwell at that delivery position, receding slightly to clear the transfer mechanism as it moves forward with the delivered group, and then advancing to a point where it will serve as a stop or ,alining gage for the group of cigarettes brought forward from the opposite side of the machine, fit having been found desirable to insure`accurate alining of the cigarettes that some means for gaging them as they are delivered to the transfer mechanism be provided, and this is best shown in Fig. 23 where the right hand slide has just delivered its group of cigarettes, the left hand slide being readv to advance and bring its group forward. The frame 1 of the right hand slide in Fig. is shown in its extreme position from which itfrecedes sli ghtlv to give clearancel to the forward thrust ofthe transfer, and then returns to that position so that the cigarettes coming from the other side, and being delivered to the transfer mechanisms, will be alined by the vertical faces of the group ngers 11, and therefore accurate alining of the group of cigarettes which have been brought across from the grouping racks in properly inclined condition is insured."

In order that on the return movement of the group shifting fingers there may be no disturbance of the incoming cigarettes which are being grouped on the grouping racks, we provide a cam lift for the pivoted frame 10, which cam lift comprises the cam plate 11, the upper edge of which is inclined to lift the pivoted frame 1 to the position shown in dotted lines at the right in Fig. 23 by means of the pin 15 which travels over the edge of the cam plate 11 on its return movement, and swings the fingers clear of the grouping racks and cigarettes, said cam plate 14 being pivoted so that yon the forward movement of the group shifting slide the pin 15 rides idly beneath it. Between vthe grouping racks above described, and the transfer mechanism which is about to be taken up, we provide a guide plate or support 1 over which the cigarettes travel as the fingers of the group shifter ejects them from the racks, the said plate 16 having grooves corresponding and registering with the grooves in the fixed rack plates h, so that the inclined position of the cigarettes will be preserved as they move, from their grouped position in the racks to the transfer mechanism.

.-.'v'loup transfer mechansm.-The cigarettes thus assembled and moved forward by the group Shifters from the grouping racks, are moved bodily into a transfer frame c, best shown in Figs. l, 7, 16, 17,124: and the diagrammatic view Fig 35, the said frame [c being mounted on a slide la which, b v a suitable connecting rod, is joined to a lever k2, which by the long'connecting rod lo (see Fig. 8) couples with the lever k" pivoted on the machine frame, and actuated by the cam 11:5 on the shaft 7 'heretofore referred to.

The transfer frame k comprises two forwardly projecting limbs having depending gate supporting lugs, on whichA lugs are pivoted inwardly projecting and downwardly turning gates if, these gates being normally held in the horizontal position shown, by means oflight springs on the pivot rods, these springs being of ample strength to support a group of cigarettes, but light enough to yield readilyA under impact of the plunger, presently to be described, which deposits the grouped cigarettes on the shuclt or slide. The group of cigarettes is shifted to'this transfer mechanism in the manner heretofore described; when the transfer slide or carrier stands in the position shown in Fig. 24 with the mouth of the transfer cary' the inclination of the cigarettes occurs,

5'5 brought forward beneath the plunger by.

rier coincident with the grouping racks, and the entire group of cigarettes is shifted from the grooved' racks, where theyl lie in inclined position, bodily onto the transfer, the group being held between the end Walls ks of the transfer frame,

the size of the transfer frame being such as to take a group .of cigarettes snugly and prevent their rolling or falling flat again from the inclined position in which they are delivered. y1t. will beseen'that the cigarettes will lie then with their `ends supported on.

the spring gates los, in which condition the transfer slide moves forward with the transfer to a point beneath the group feeding plunger, which will now be described.

Mechanism for1 aldi/vering the group `to the sZz'cZe.-The transfer just described brings the group forward to a point beneath a plunger Z, best shown in Figs. 1,4, 7, 9, and 16, said plunger being mounted in uprights Z,l on the machine frame, so that its stein slides freely therein, the plunger stem being linked toa lever Z2 coupled by the connecting rod Z3 -With a cam lever Z4, said cam lever being actuated by the cam groove Z5 on the disk Z6 carried by 4the rear cam shaft 'z','so that the plunger Z will have a properly timed rise and fall, andpreferably the cam which operates this plunger is so plotted that the plunger will descend to the point where it engages the group of cigarettes relatively slow, and then with a quickened movement, carrying the group downwardly out of the transfer mechanism into theslide beneath it. v

The plunger Z is preferably grooved on its under side with a series of cigarette engaging grooves inclined in such a manner as to g blank, and then as the slide m8 moves forcoincide with the inclination of the grouped cigarettes so that engagement of the grooves with the cigarettes will tend to preserve the inclined grouping, and furthermore, in order that there may end cigarette of the group to roll, we provide the plungerwith the depending lug or wing Z1 against which the end cigarette, of the series lies. 1 v

The plungerZ vforces the group of cigarettes through the transfer carrier, the gates lo yielding to permit this, and quickly carries the group into the slide whichhas been mechanism presently to be described, and immediately the plunger carries the group of cigarettes out of the transfer carrier, said transfer makes its `rear movement, the forward limb of the carrier, being cutaway, as shown in Fig. 24, to provide a passage for the stem of the plunger as the transfer mechanism is retracted. -V The group of cigarettes is depositedupon ja slide, shown.in Fig. 2, and which is of not 4 uncommon type, having side aps m and.

so that no derangement ofn be no disposition of the,V

front and rear flaps m', m2, the latter of which is longer than lthe iap m', and this slide, when positioned beneath the plunger and the descending group of cigarettes, is so set up or bent as that it will receive and hold the group in inclined position as they are deposited by the plunger.

. The mechanisms for supplying the slide, i its inclosing shell, and for inserting the of any suitable or desired type capable of 4 feeding, cutting and printing a strip of cardboard from whichA the 4slides are made,

and we have illustrated it generally in these drawings, it being conventionally shown in Fig. 3, in which ma. indicates a roll of cardboard strip, and m4 the cutting and print- -ing chamber through which thisstrip passes and by which it is cut, scored for bending, and printed with such devices or legendsas may be desired.. The strip m5 after passing through the cutting and printing devices issues in the formfshown in plan view in Fig. l, where it will be seen thatgthe cardboard has been cut along its edges and notched so as to form a succession of connected slide blanks. The strip thus formed passes forward through suitable slide ways lm." to the severing device for cutting off individual slide blanks, the strip being fed forward by means of the feeding dogs or block m8, the dogs fm7 being adapted to enhooks m7 pivoted toa sliding age'the outstanding'si e iaps m' of the m10 on the cam disk m11 carried by the rear' cam shaft. Z9, and driven b a suitable gearing from'the drive shaft the cam groove lmwbeing so plotted as to give the proper feed and dwell to the strip'feeding dogs.-

Preferably, to uard againstany backward movement of t e stripi when the feeding dogs m7 make their return' stroke, we provide a stop pawl mlgvwhich is so placed l as .to engage theside iap of'the strip and prevent any' backward movement.

-The endof the strip mi feeds along the walls m to a point beneath a knife m13, and preferably, to preventv any buckling 'of the strip as it i's'fed along, we provide a holddown bar 'm14 approxim ely centrally placed over the strip bed, hich bar fm14 ing distorted and insure accuracy of the timed feed. The knife m33 is carried by a `will eifectually prevent the strip 'from be- 

